


So, You're Finally Happy? Don't Worry, It Won't Last.

by Rosalee_Kenneth (orphan_account)



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), And They Always Will Be, Angst, Beverly Marsh & Richie Tozier Are Best Friends, Bisexual Eddie Kaspbrak, Bisexual Richie Tozier, But Real Talk The Turtle Doesn't Do Shit, But Reddie Gets Their Moments, But Then I Ruin It, Cheating, Comedian Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak Lives, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff, I suppose, IT Chapter Two (2019) Was A Mess, Let Me Be Honest, M/M, Mainly Carrie Centric, Mentions of Carrie by Stephen King, On Richie's End, Parent Richie Tozier, Pining, Sad Ending, Single Parent Richie Tozier, Stanley Uris Lives, The Turtle (IT) CAN Help Us, This Is A Chaotic Mess, i love that tag so much, maybe he doesn't, no beta we die like men, or does he?, richie has a kid, slow burn i guess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:20:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22413886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Rosalee_Kenneth
Summary: “It’s like we always say: Happy endings are clichés used to distract people from how shitty life is.”“Maybe we should stop saying that, it’s kinda a downer,” Richie joked half-heartedly.“Well, you did raise me to be a realist, dad,” the girl replied with a smile.
Relationships: Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 20
Kudos: 23





	1. Except For Your Eyes, You Have Your Mother's Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this concept stuck in my head for the longest time and I just had to write about so here we go...another fic that I wont update in like 5 month

“Richie, It's back.”

Richie’s blood ran cold as the words his old childhood friend rang through his ears. His hands were shaking aggressively, and he felt sick to stomach.

“Richie?” Mike called out.

Swallowing a gulp Richie replied,” Yeah?”

“You have to come back,” Mike stated. Richie sighed pensively before wiping the sweat off his forehead.

“Mike, I can’t.”

“Richie, you made a promise.”

“It was ages ago.”

“A promise is a promise. Who knows how many people will die if we don’t stop him? Think of all the kids at risk here.”

That’s what Richie was afraid of.

“You don’t understand…”

“Richie, you have to come back. We need you. Please.”

“Mike, I have to go.”

“Richie, please…”

“Bye, Mike,” Richie said as he hung up the call. He sat down on his couch and held his head in his hands. He couldn’t go back. He couldn’t face Pennywise again and have the risk of dying haunt him. He something to live for, for the first time in his life. He couldn’t process the idea of ever leaving her. She was his everything and from what he learned—you’re supposed to hang on to your everything. The floorboards of his house creaked as he looked up and saw her staring at him with those bright greens eyes.

“You ok? You look frantic,” she asked cautiously.

“Yeah…I’m fine,” Richie retorted with a strained smile attached to his face.

“No, you’re not. I know you and you’re not fine. Who was that on the phone?”

“Uh…an old friend. His name is Mike and apparently he wants me to come back to my old town.”

“Derry, right?”

“Yeah, it’s the shithole of the entire world.”

“So, I take it you’re not going back, then?”

“No, I can’t.”

“Why?”

Richie stared at the girl in front of him with wide eyes. He never told her about Pennywise or the trauma he went through as a child, she had enough shit to deal with as is. Sometimes he thought he should just tell her because of the anxiety, but he wanted her to believe in the normality of life. Well, as normal as it could get for her. Maybe this was the time to finally tell her about It. It wasn’t like she was ever going to encounter him anyway. Hopefully not.

“I have something to tell you,” Richie began. The girl walked over to him and sat on the couch beside him. He took her petite hand into his and held it gently,” And this isn’t a story with a happy ending.”

“It’s like we always say: Happy endings are clichés used to distract people from how shitty life is.”

“Maybe we should stop saying that, it’s kinda a downer,” Richie joked half-heartedly.

“Well, you did raise me to be a realist, dad,” the girl replied with a smile.

“That I did, Carrie,” Richie said before pressing a kiss on his daughter’s head.

“So, what’s the story?” Carrie asked, interested. She always loved a good story, especially ones without a happy ending. She was cynical like that.

“Well, a long time ago when I was about 13, I had a group of friends called the Losers—”

“—I love the name.”

“I knew you would. Anyway, the Losers and I were bullied a lot and I guess it bonded us in a weird way. There was Stan, he was teased for being Jewish. There was Beverly, who everyone called a slut. There was Mike, who was bullied because of his skin color. There was Bill, he was made fun of because of his stutter. There was Ben, who everyone teased for being fat. And there was…Eddie, he, well, he was a bit of a girly boy. And I was called some very hateful gay slurs which were especially mean because I am a proud bisexual.”

“You go, dad.”

“One day, Bill’s little brother, Georgie died. Now here’s the kicker, he was killed by a killer clown from space,” Richie explained, looking at his daughter for any type of emotion.

“Fuck, really?” she exclaimed with wide eyes. Richie had no fear about his daughter not believing him, she knew well enough of the supernatural mysteries of the world.

“Yeah, his name was Pennywise, and he was a real dick.”

“Was…was he like me?” Carrie asked. Her eyes lit up.

“No, in no way, shape, or form was he like you. You’re special in your own way, Carrie, you know that,” Richie consoled. He didn’t blame his daughter for being curious, she had a right to be, but it really hurt him when he couldn’t give his daughter the answers she sought.

“Yeah, I know,” Carrie sighed,” So, what happens next?”

“Well, the Losers seek out the thing that killed Georgie and after hours of emotional trauma we defeated It,” Richie summed up quite poorly. He didn’t want to get into full detail about the year of 1989, he couldn’t deal with all those memories quite just yet,” Or we though we did. Um…Mike called me and told me Pennywise is back. He wanted me to come back and help kill it again. It’s some pact me and the Losers made after we thought we killed it. But I told him I couldn’t—”

“What, why?” Carrie asked.

“Carrie, hon, I can’t. I have you to worry about and I can’t go out there and worry if I’ll make it back to you alive,” Richie explained as he rubbed his eyes under his glasses.

“Dad, I’m 15 and you know…equipped. Think about the other Losers, they probably have to leave their spouses and worry about if they’re ever going to see them again. You made a promise, dad, and you can’t break it because of me. I can handle myself…other kids out there can’t,” Carrie ranted. She was stubborn, Richie knew that, she had inherited it from him after all. He was slowly regretting telling her about the last part of his story.

“Care, I can’t—”

“Dad, you can,” the girl interrupted. She slowly pulled her dad into a hug and let him stroke her curly black hair,” Please, for me.”

“What if something happens to me? Who’s going to take care of you?” Richie asked, his eyes slightly watering.

“Nothing is going to happen to you. Do you know why? Because I’m coming with you.”

Richie jerked back from the hug instantly. He stared at his daughter with wide eyes as he ferociously started shaking his head,” No, not happening. You are not going to Derry with me. It’s one thing for me to go but a whole other thing if you go. I can’t risk it, Care.”

“Listen to me, dad, I can handle myself. How many times do I have to tell you that? You know I can help with Pennywise. It’s so much less of a risk if we both help defeat it together, and plus you can keep an eye on me if I’m there with you.”

“You’re my daughter, Carrie, no matter how gifted you are I can’t let you help me defeat a killer clown who specifically targets kids.”

“Dad, please. I can help you; I know I can.”

“I—I…fuck. I absolutely detest you; you know that?”

“So, is that a yes?” Carrie asked excitedly.

“It is a very reluctant yes, but…yes,” Richie gave up. All of a sudden, Carrie pulled him into a massive hug,” But, you can’t do anything on your own. You must stay with me or one of the Losers at all times, am I clear?”

“Yes,” Carrie responded as she hugged her dad even tighter. Richie rolled his eyes and hugged her back. Fuck, his kid was going to be the death of him. Hypothetically speaking, of course.

***

Richie in his car staring at the restaurant Mike told him to meet the Losers at. He felt himself sweat slightly in anticipation. Carrie, on the other hand, was over the goddamn moon about the prospect of meeting the Losers. She smiled the whole car ride which made Richie seriously question why he even agreed to coming back to Derry in the first place.

“Do you want to come inside?” Richie asked his daughter.

“Do you want me to come inside? I can wait in the car if that makes you more comfortable,” Carrie replied, toying with a loose thread on her sweater.

“Actually, leaving you by yourself in a parking lot makes me really fucking nervous, so why don’t you come inside?”

“I don’t want to crash your reunion, dad, I’m already crashing the clown hunt. This is your moment. I’ll wait outside the restaurant.”

“Really, it could take ages for us to be done with dinner?”

“As long as you can get me some fried rice, I’ll be fine,” Carrie consoled. Richie gave her a smirk before getting out of his car.

“Hey, be safe,” Richie commented. Carrie flipped her dad off in response which made him flip her off back.

“Stop worrying about me and go eat dinner, you ass,” Carrie laughed.

“You suck.”

“I love you, dad.”

“I love you too, Carrie.”

When Richie walked into the restaurant, he noticed how barren it was. There was, however, an explosion of noise coming from the back end of the establishment which he followed. Unsurprisingly, it was the Loser’s making all the ruckus as each one of them greeted each other in happy smiles and comforting hugs. Suddenly, all the eyes were on him and he gave an awkward wave.

“Richie?” a redheaded woman spoke. It was obviously Beverly.

“The very same. Why, do you want an autograph?”

“Nothing’s changed I see,” Beverly joked as she pulled him into a tight hug. She smelled like strawberries and mint; it was nice.

“Fuck, man, you actually look really good,” a man with curly hair commented.

“No need to act surprised, Stan,” Richie replied as he went over and hugged him.

“Man, I’m so glad you made it,” Mike said. Richie pulled away from Stan and noticed his aged-up friends. Bill was hot, Ben was thin and hot, Mike was a smoke show and a half, Beverly looked flawless, Stan was cute in an accountant way, and Eddie, well Eddie was the same but at the same time totally different. He was taller which shocked him, and he also had a stubble which debunked his theory of Eddie being unable to grow facial hair. All in all, he was hot. Fuck.

“Should we get started? I haven’t eaten anything in 3 hours,” Richie questioned as he took a seat next to Beverly and Stan.

“Alrighty then, going in straight for the food,” Bill teased.

“Well that is the only reason why I’m here,” Richie explained. Beverly playfully smacked him on the shoulder.

“So, anyway…how’s everyone been doing? It’s been 27 years, what’s new?” Mike wondered as he took a sip of his water.

“Uh…well, I’m married,” Bill told the group. A round of cheers congratulated him,” Her name’s Audra and she’s wonderful. You may have seen her in some of the movie adaptations of my books. She’s an actress.”

“Oh, is she the blond covered in blood most times?” Beverly asked.

“Yeah, that’s her.”

“Well, she’s hot,” Richie added. Bill shot him a dirty glare as everyone else laughed.

“Aren’t you gay?” Bill pondered. It was clear he was still trying to remember some things from his past.

“I’m bisexual, Billiam. Stop being a biphobe.”

“Moving on…is anyone else married?” Mike continued.

“I am,” Eddie confessed. Richie’s glare focused on him.

“What you’re married?”

“Yeah, why?” Eddie said, crossing his arms.

“To like a woman?”

“Yes, dickwad, I am.”

Richie felt his chest clench. He should’ve gotten over him already, it’s been 27 for fuck’s sake. Why did he feel so jealous about a something that could never happen? It was a childhood crush, nothing more.

“I’m married too, if you guys were curious,” Stan mentioned. It was clear that he was still a sassy bitch.

“Again, I ask, to a woman?” Richie asked, purely for comedic effect this time.

“Fuck you and yes,” Stan retorted. Beverly laughed loudly at the two friend’s banter.

“What about you, Bev? You married?” Ben pondered as he stared at her intently.

“Uh…no, well…I was, but he was a massive prick,” Beverly explained as her smile faltered.

“Did he hurt you?” Bill asked, brows furrowed in anger.

“Yeah, sometimes. Don’t worry, though, it’s over. I’m never letting him touch me again,” Bev said with a reassuring smile.

“Fuck, what a downer,” Richie noted which made Beverly chuckle. Sometimes his insensitivity paid off.

“What about you, Richie? Do you have someone special in your life?” Bev queried.

“Uh…yeah, but not in the way you think, though,” the speckled man answered. The Losers looked like they were going to ask further, but then the appetizers came. He sighed in appreciation of the distraction and reached out to grab a pot sticker.

***

Dinner was going well; everyone was catching up and enjoying each other’s company. Although, Richie was slightly worried about Carrie and how she was doing. He knew she could handle herself, but the idea of someone or something harming her made him anxious. When they were through the main course he texted her if she was doing ok, she responded with a simple ‘yes’. He knew he was overreacting, but how could he not? It was Derry after all.

“Who you are texting, Rich?” Stan asked as he saw Richie’s phone screen. He quickly put it away and turned it the face the Losers.

“No one,” the raven-haired man replied.

“Oooooh, does Richie have a significant other?” Beverly teased, slightly intoxicated.

“Ew, no. Can’t a man text in peace?”

“No,” all of the Losers responded in unison.

“Well, fuck you guys,” Richie quickly dismissed.

The fortune cookies soon arrived which excited all the Losers. One by one, they all grabbed a cookie and opened them up. Richie was confused when all his cookie said was ‘happy’.

“Does anyone else have a fortune with only one word?” Eddie asked nervously. All the Losers nodded their heads slowly.

“Mine says ‘not’,” Stan said.

“Mine says ‘ending’,” Beverly quipped.

“Mine says ‘gonna’,” Bill read.

“Mine says ‘her’,” Ben added.

“Mine reads ‘get’,” Mike exclaimed.

“Mine says ‘happy’,” Richie confessed.

Eddie furrowed his brow in confusion has he read his fortune,” Mine says ‘Carrie’s’”

Richie’s eyes widened at the final fortune and immediately started to sweat profusely,” Everyone put your fortunes on the table, now!”

The Losers looked at Richie, puzzled, but did what he said none the less. Richie started shuffling the papers around wildly in hopes to decode the message. Finally, he got it and looked down in horror at the sentence he just spelled out.

‘Carrie’s not gonna get her happy ending’

He felt himself start to shake as the other members read the message as well.

“Who’s Carrie?” Mike wondered.

Richie abruptly took off, leaving the Losers at the table as he ran out of the restaurant and to his car. He looked through his car’s window and saw Carrie on her phone, unaware of his presence. As he let out a sigh of relief, he tapped on the window to get his kid’s attention. Carrie looked up and smiled at her dad as she got out of the car. As she stepped towards him, she noticed how pale and sickly he looked.

“Hey, dad, are you ok What happened?” Carrie asked, pulling Richie into a hug. Richie tightly clutched onto his daughter and buried his face in her bush of hair.

“I thought something happened to you. I was so scared,” Richie told her. He felt Carrie rub his back comfortingly.

“But I’m fine. I’m ok. Nothing’s going to happen to me, I swear,” the teen whispered. They stayed clutched to each other for a while before Richie slowly pulled back and fixed the glasses on his face.

“Sorry, I’m probably being really overbearing, right?” Richie asked.

“Well, you have every right to be. You’re my dad, after all. It’s like your job,” Carrie joked.

Richie smiled at his daughter lovingly just as the rest of the Losers came out to check on him.

“Richie, what the fuck just happened back there?” Ben queried in a gruff voice. They were all too bust staring at Richie to even notice the girl in front of him.

“Yeah, you just ran out looking like you were going to pass out,” Eddie added.

“Do you know who Carrie is?” Bill wondered.

“Um…I think that would be me,” Carrie offered, waving her hand to indicate herself.

“Um…who are you?” Beverly asked hesitantly.

“Guys,” Richie announced,” I would like you to meet my daughter, Caroline Tozier.”

All the Losers stared dumbstruck at the two Toziers. It was clear that they were trying to process the information they just heard. Who would ever think that Richie ‘Trashmouth’ Tozier would have kid?

“What the literal fuck? You have a kid? Like a kid?” Stan slowly said, rubbing his temples.

“Yeah, that’s what happens when you have sex when you’re drunk and horny,” Richie explained.

“Dad, maybe not the time,” Carrie whispered.

“No—no. There’s no way you would have a kid. You’re Richie,” Beverly stated.

“Well, I do.”

“How did—? What…? Like she’s yours? You raised her?” Bill questioned.

“Yes, Billy, she’s mine. Can’t you tell?” Richie responded. It was pretty obvious that Carrie was Richie’s daughter. She was the spitting imagine of him, except for the eyes. They both were tall, had curly black hair, and wore glasses. She even had some of his freckles he had as a kid,” And yes, I also raised her.”

“Does she have a mom?” Eddie wondered.

“Kinda a personal question, Eddie Spaghetti,” Richie said. He hated talking about Carrie’s mom, she was bitch. She was really religious, and actively avoided Richie after they had ‘premarital’ sex. The only time they ever talked after their one drunken night was when she dropped off Carrie to Richie. Well at that time, she didn’t have a name.

“Hey, dad, its fine. Yes, I have a mom like everyone else on this planet, but she’s not in the picture. My dad raised me all by himself and I’m doing pretty well for myself,” Carrie concluded. Eddie stared at her with his mouth agape.

“She has your sass, Rich,” Mike expressed.

“That she does, Mikey,” Richie agreed as he ruffled Carrie’s hair.

“Ok, I’m getting over the initial shock of Richie having a kid, now I’m just wondering why the fuck she’s here? Does she know about—” Stan gestured something with his hands. It looked like an outline of a clown but then again, it could’ve been a swan.

“Pennywise? Yeah, I know about him. I’m actually here to help defeat him,” the young Tozier said. The Losers went back to staring at Richie and Carrie with wide eyes.

“Honey, no offense but I don’t think that’s something within your capabilities. This clown is like really dangerous,” Bev said with a weak smile.

“Bev, trust me. She’s fine,” Richie added, looking down at his daughter in solace.

“Why are you encouraging this? She could seriously get hurt,” Mike pointed out.

“We’ll meet you at the townhouse, guys. We’ll talk there,” Richie said before getting into his car with Carrie and driving away.

***

The townhouse was empty—like really empty. There wasn’t even any staff to give Richie and Carrie a room. It was perfect. Richie sat in the lounge area with a cigarette placed in between his teeth. He wanted to light it, but Carrie was too busy playing with the lighter. It was an old-fashioned one that Richie stole from his dad when he was about 14, it was a miracle the old thing still worked.

“What if they’re scared of me?” Carrie wondered.

“They won’t be, they’re nice,” Richie cleared up.

“But still…nice people can still find things scary.”

“You’re not scary, Care, you’re just special.”

“You say that all the time, dad. It’s really quite grating.”

“Forgive me for trying to be a good dad.”

“Be a good dad, not a cliché one.”

“Burn.”

Suddenly, the Losers came filing into the townhouse. They all looked at Richie and Carrie for some sort of explanation.

“What the fuck?” Bill swore.

“Ah, you’re here. Finally,” Richie greeted before handing his cigarette to Carrie. She then lit it with the lighter, took a drag of it, and then handed it back to her dad.

“Good parenting, Rich,” Eddie said, noticing the action.

“Relax, she only gets one drag per cigarette I smoke.”

“And that makes it better?”

“Yeah, Eds, it does. At least she’s not chain-smoking like I was when I was her age.”

“Irrelevant, guys. What we want to know is why you suddenly drove off in the middle of our conversation about you letting your kid defeat a killer clown with us,” Ben explained.

“I can take care of myself,” Carrie idly said, laying down on a dusty couch.

“That may be true, but this clown is horrific. Defeating this thing is going to be difficult and no offence but I don’t think you’re cut out for it,” Mike said.

“You supposedly killed It when you guys were 13. I’m 15, two years older than you guys were.”

“We only stopped It; we didn’t kill It. It’s going to be more intense this time around,” Mike shot back.

“I can handle intensity, I am intense.”

“She is,” Richie agreed.

“I don’t think you’re understanding the massive risk that’s at play here if you help us defeat Pennywise,” Mike raised his voice. Carrie suddenly got up from her couch and strode towards the man.

“You don’t who I am, Mike. You don’t know what I’m capable of, I could single-handedly murder this clown without you guys. Believe it or not, you need me. I’m not just a 15-year-old girl with mommy issues and an infinity for danger,” Carrie said, raising her voice even louder than Mike’s.

The Losers, including Richie, all gaped at what Carrie had just said and the ferocity behind her words. They were even more shocked at the color of Carrie’s eyes slowly turning white. Richie immediately jumped up from his chair and put his hands on Carrie’s shoulders.

“Hey, honey, take it down a notch. You’re ok. You’re safe. Alright?”

Carrie blinked and her eyes snapped back into their usual green color.

“What the actual fuck just happened?” Eddie screeched.

“Uh…listen, Carrie is kinda special,” Richie said, stroking his daughter’s hair.

“Does special mean her eyes changing color in the span of a second?” Beverly snapped.

“Let’s just say that it’s really fucking ironic that I named her Carrie,” Richie explained, hoping the Losers would catch on.

“What?” Stan muttered.

“Hey, Care, you think you can show them? Nothing big, though, ok?”

Carrie nodded her head and looked around the room and noticed the keys hanging behind the reception’s desk.

“Hey, Eddie, what’s your room number?” Carrie asked, still staring at the keys.

“Uh…4 I think, why?” Eddie asked, but his question was already answered as Carrie’s eyes turned back into white and a key with a number 4 on it levitated toward him. He stared at it and then Carrie with his mouth hung open. All of the Losers did a double-take and gasped at the teen.

“Is anyone going to take the key?” the girl questioned.

Mike quickly grabbed the key from mid-air before Carrie’s eyes turned back into green.

“WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK!” Eddie shrieked. Beverly, Stan, Mike, Bill, and Ben all fixated their glares upon Carrie as if she were a time bomb about to go off.

“Richie, did your daughter just levitate a key?” Mike asked slowly.

“I told you she was special,” Richie shrugged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ OR THE REST OF THE FIC WONT MAKE SENSE!!!!!  
> \--ok so in this fic Richie is the one who Pennywise takes when they're kids, not Bev. This is done on purpose for important reasons later revealed. Instead of seeing everyone die Richie gets another ability...in away.


	2. Horror Soothes Me. I’m Scary Enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a lot happens this chapter except some teenage romance that may or may not end in flames.

“Ok, can you maybe explain why your daughter has telekinesis, Richie?” Mike asked as soon as the Losers calmed down from the initial shock Carrie had just given them. They were all currently in the lounge room of the townhouse waiting for the apparent explanation Richie was going to give them. Beverly, Bill, Ben, and Eddie were all in the bar downing drinks while Mike and Stan were sitting across from Carrie and staring at her like she was a fish in a tank.

“Can you maybe back the fuck up a little? I’m still a human being, you know?” Carrie snapped as Mike leaned in closer to her face, trying to stare at her emerald green eyes. Mike quickly recoiled at the same time Stan hid a smirk.

“Caroline Beverly Tozier, don’t be a bitch,” Richie said in his parenting voice. He didn’t like reprimanding Carrie, so when he did, he covered it up in swears and jokes to soften the blow. It wasn’t the best parenting technique, but at least his daughter wasn’t turning into the literal embodiment of Carrie White.

“Wait…you named her after me?” Beverly said from above her glass of whiskey. She had a smile on her face that brightened her pale blue eyes greatly. For a second, she locked eyes with the girl of her namesake, and they exchanged a grin. Richie watched this action and felt his heart warm.

“Of course, I did, Bev. Remember when we were kids—you’re my one and only,” Richie replied with Beverly saying ‘one and only’ in unison with him. The rest of the Losers stared between the redhead and raven-haired man fondly. Even Carrie seemed aware of the bond her dad shared with Beverly.

“Fuck, you’re such a sap, you know,” Bev laughed through watery eyes. Richie did the same. Ever since they were kids, Beverly and Richie always had a special connection with one another. They would smoke together, watch movies together, talk for hours with one another. In many ways, they were the most sibling-like of all the Losers. They were always there for each other, and Richie always knew they would be.

“This is lovely and sentimental and all, but can we honestly get some straight answers about your kid, Rich,” Mike stated. Eddie, Bill, Ben, and Stan all shot the historian a dirty look,” Hey, I’m sorry, but do you guys not see how huge this is? This is the one of the only supernatural encounters in our lives that hasn’t been controlled by Pennywise. What Carrie can do can prove super beneficial when we take down Pennywise.”

Carrie responded smugly,” If only someone had told you that 20 minutes ago. Oh wait…”

“Care, I need you to tone down your pettiness to like a 4 right now,” the parent said.

“How did you get your powers, Carrie? Or do you not know,” Stan asked genuinely, treating Carrie like a valid member of the conversation.

“I seriously don’t know why I’m telekinetic, I guess I was just born with it. Dad says I might’ve gotten it from my mom, but she’d probably kill herself If she was supernatural. She’s like an extreme Christian,” Carrie answered, fiddling with the rings on her fingers at the same time.

“So why did she sleep with Richie then?” Eddie wondered, slowly sipping his glass of white wine. Richie stared at the hypochondriac intently for any sighs of jealously, of course there were none. Why would there be?

“She was really drunk, I was really drunk, and BAM! We created a baby with superpowers,” Richie said, gesturing to Carrie like Will Smith in that one meme (you know the one). Carrie rolled her eyes and smiled.

“And she realized she didn’t want the magical baby, so she gave me to my dad,” Carrie added.

“I still can’t believe Trashmouth himself raised you all by his lonesome. You’re like genuinely well rounded-out,” Bill commented. Richie beamed at the compliment while Carrie chuckled.

“Yeah, I guess. He taught me how to control my powers when I was like 4, and that must not have been easy. I’m a lot to handle alone, and when you mix me with telekinesis then it’s just warfare,” she admitted.

“How’d you manage to control her powers, Rich?” Ben asked, curiously.

“By being a supportive and loving father,” Richie retorted.

“He read me the book Carrie every night as a bedtime story and basically told me that if I didn’t keep my powers under control then I was going to end up like Carrie,” the teen confessed. Beverly snorted into her beverage.

“You emotionally traumatized your kid by reading her horror books when she was a fucking toddler?” Stan deadpanned.

“I was a single dad who was raising a kid with mind powers, what the fuck was I supposed to do? Besides, Carrie turned out great. A little mentally unstable—”

“—a lot mentally stable,” Carrie piped in.

“Well, that’s a different story, and she’s getting better anyway,” Richie explained. The Losers looked like they were going to continue asking questions, but they were cut off by Eddie yawning loudly.

“Fuck, what time is it?” Eddie asked, rubbing his eyes.

“11:14,” Ben answered, staring at his watch.

“I should’ve been in bed 2 hours ago,” Eddie complained.

“You have a bedtime? Are you 9?” Richie joked. Eddie shot the comedian an angry look.

“No, I just have a strict sleeping that I like to instill upon myself so that I get the recommended hours of sleep,” Eddie explained. Beverly mouth the word ‘buzzkill’ from behind the bar.

“I think we should all call it night, guys, we need to be on our A game if we’re going to kill Pennywise,” Mike proffered, putting on his jacket.

“Booo! Lame,” Beverly whined, drunk as a bat. Ben tried to hide a fond smile from beside her.

“Bev, you’re really drunk and that usually means you’re going to pass out any minute. Remember that night where we fell asleep in the bathtub of my downstairs’ bathroom?” Richie said, walking over towards the intoxicated woman.

“Yeah…right after we raided your dad’s malt whiskey collection,” Bev reminisced.

“Sometimes I wonder why we didn’t keep a closer eye on you two when we were kids,” Stan noted.

“Me and Bev were legends—absolute crackheads from the beginning, Staniel.”

“Not even relevant to what I said but ok,” the curly-haired man muttered.

“Ok, so I’m going to take Ms. Marsh here up to bed—,” Richie began.

“—I can take her,” Bill and Ben said at the same time. Stan rolled his eyes.

“And that’s exactly why I’m going to take her,” Rich commented, hooking an arm around Bev’s shoulders. The redhead leaned into him at once, and rested her tired head on his shoulder,” Care, you gonna be alright?”

“Yeah, dad. I always am, right?”

“Most of the time, Carrie,” Richie said before leading Beverly to her room.

***

Carrie was sitting idly in her small room reading the book ‘Misery’. She loved Stephen King’s books and it was a given since her dad read her his stories since she basically a toddler. She loved horror in general, the characters in those books always made her feel more normal in a morbid way. She stared at her clock which read 12:01. She knew she should be heading to sleep, but she just had to finish one more chapter. Suddenly, there was a squeak at a hard thump. She closed her book and stared up at Stan looking directly at her with tired eyes.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Bill told me this was my room, but I guess he’s wrong,” he explained.

“No, it’s fine. There are 2 beds in this room anyway. I supposed to share with my dad but apparently Beverly has him held in a deathgrip in her sleep. I don’t think he’s going to escaping that anytime soon.”

“No offense but doesn’t that seem a little…inappropriate to you. Like we literally met 3 hours ago.”

“It’s not weird unless you make it weird. Plus, you’re married, and you seem like you know what the definition of underage is.”

“But still…”

“If it makes you uncomfortable then you can leave, but I don’t have a problem with it and neither should you.”

Stan looked at her for a bit and then shrugged. He sunk down on the bed beside Carrie and covered himself with the scratchy hotel blanket. He stayed silent for a bit while Carrie read the read of the chapter.

“What are you reading?” Stan asked. Carrie looked over at the man who seemed to be half-asleep.

“Misery…by Stephen King.”

“I thought you’d be sick of Stephen King after your dad basically read you Carrie when you were 4.”

“You’d think, but he actually just activated my love of horror.”

“Then you’re gonna love Derry.” Stan laughed.

“Yeah, dad told me about this place. It seems like its sucky to live in even without the killer clown.”

“It is. Everyone here is either a bigot, convict, or just a shitty member of society.”

“I understand why you guys left, then.”

“Sorry, I feel like I’m just scaring you about the shittiness of Derry.”

“No, It’s fine. I like shitty stuff, it makes the good stuff slightly more memorable.”

“And what to you falls under the ‘good stuff’ category?”

“I dunno…horror movies, Evan Peters, extra pickles on sandwiches, reruns of shitty sitcoms on Nick Night, my dad…”

“Not your powers?”

“It’s kinda a love/hate situation.”

“What there to hate?”

“Feeling like I’m never going to belong anywhere. Like I know that I’m special but sometimes I don’t want to be special, I want to be normal and not have to worry about anyone staring at me because I might’ve accidentally moved a salt shaker.”

“Well, you’re always going to belong with the Losers. Being special and emotionally unstable is kinda our forte.”

“You seem pretty well adept.”

“Yeah, it’s because I took a shit-ton of sedatives before coming here. You’ll see me screaming my head off tomorrow.”

“You’re funnier than my dad gives you credit for.”

“Thank you, Carrie. At long last someone appreciates my impeccable humor.”

“You’re pushing it, Stan.”

They both laughed gently. Carrie put away her book and glasses on the nightstand and shut off the light with her powers. She laid down on the bed and sighed tiredly. She heard same do the same.

“Do you think it’s all going to work out?” Carrie heard Stan ask. He said it like a child seeking for solace from a parent. Carrie felt a twinge of pain strike her heart.

“I hope so.” Carrie replied before shutting her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

***

Carrie woke up with a groan and turned her eyes towards the clock beside her. It read 9:43 which was late wake-up time compared to Stan who wasn’t in the bed next to her when she arose out of bed. She figured most of the Losers were already up by now and working out a game-plan. To tired to shower, Carrie slipped on her glasses, put on some black jeans, a loose-fitting Hawaiian shirt she stole from her dad and I pair of Vans. She looked in the mirror and observed her tangled bed head and heavy eye bags and dismissed them before heading out to the Townhouse’s lobby. As she predicted, all the Losers were there with a bagel in each of their hands and a coffee in the other.

“Oh good, you’re awake,” Mike greeted the teen. She gave him a tight smile before sitting next to her dad at the bar. He handed her a plain bagel and black coffee which she graciously took.

“How’d you sleep?” Richie asked. Carrie could see bags under his eyes too, most likely from sleeping in a bed with Beverly’s death grasp on him.

“Ok, I guess. You’re not really going to get the best night’s sleep when you have a clown to kill.”

“Point taken,” Rich agreed as he and Carrie clinked coffee cups together.

“Ok, so,” Mike said, obviously formulating a plan,” I say we need to split up and search for our tokens, something that will help us remember how we killed Pennywise when we were 13. Then we ask the turtle for help, I have a feeling he can help us.”

“Is he on drugs?” Carrie whispered to her dad, concerned or Mike’s sanity.

“It’s his water,” Bill answered from his seat next to Richie. Carrie blinked blankly at the author and stared at her dad who shrugged his shoulders.

“Any questions?” Mike asked, finished with his train wreck of a speech. Beverly, Stan, Bill, Ben, Richie, Eddie, and Carrie all fixated their confused glares upon the historian. It was clear that they too were having doubts about the plan.

“I guess not…” Ben muttered after taking a long sip of his coffee.

“Uh…what about me? I don’t have a token, what should I do?” Carrie wondered.

“I guess you can stay here. There’s still some research that needs to be done and I think you’re just the person for it.”

“You want me, the girl with telekinesis, to stay here and research while all of you go out and gallivant into potential danger?” Carrie deadpanned, quirking an eyebrow.

“Uh…that’s not happening. I told her that she had to stay with one of us at all time for her safety,” Richie parented, wagging his finger to enunciate his point.

“Dude, your kid has literal powers and you’re worried about her safety? Plus, it’s safer here and the rest of Derry,” Bill pointed out.

“Ok…sure, why not? Everyone always double crosses the homosexual.”

“You’re bisexual, dad.”

“Still a minority, Care.”

***

Carrie sat glumly in her room reading a thick about the history of Derry, Maine. So far, she was 34 pages in and already having the urge to bang her head up against the wall. She shut the book forcefully and let out a groan before pulling a cigarette out of her coat pocket. She always stole her dad’s cigarettes when she could as they calmed her nerves immensely. Taking out her special lighter, she lit the tip of her blunt and inhaled heavily. She had to get out of the Inn. She knew that it was dangerous, but at this rate it was what she craved. Getting up from her room’s desk, Carrie left her room and proceeded to exit the townhouse.

To her lack of surprise, Derry was a barren wasteland with stores boarded up and vandalized everywhere she looked. It was honestly a miracle if anyone could survive in the town. As Carrie walked through the town, she noticed several neglected kids all playing in the streets. She hurriedly walked past them and into a street lined with stores that seemed to only have 4 or 5 people inside. Turing on the corner of the street, the teen walked into an alley where she came face to face with 2 tall guys all with badly cut mullets and one guy with his hair greased back.

“Can we help with something, dollface,” one of the guys said. He was wearing a leather jacket and had boots that had so much mud on them you could barely see the original color. Carrie took the cigarette out of her mouth and smooshed it into the ground.

“I’m going along my merry, little way, gentlemen. No need to get your panties in a bunch,” Carrie replied.

“Oh, so you think you’re funny?” the boy with a beanie remarked.

“No, I think I’m being factual.”

The guy in the leather jacket and the guy in the beanie both gave Carrie a death glare which she replied with a smile.

“Huh, I don’t think I’ve seen you around before. What’s your name, beautiful?” the third guy asked with a charming smile. He seemed to be the least punk out of all of them as he wore a simple grey shirt with black jeans. Although Carrie would never admit it, he was kinda hot.

“Carrie. Carrie Tozier.”

“Tozier…that sounds familiar.”

“Well, Richie Tozier is my dad if you know him.”

“No way! That fag on television is your dad?” the beanie wearing guy asked.

Carrie shot him a look before answering,” He’s bisexual, asshole. And yes, he’s famous. Want his autograph, I bet if you sold it you could get enough money to get a haircut.”

The two guys both walked up to Carrie menacingly before the third guy stopped them lazily,” Don’t be a dick, Noah. Just cause a girl is impervious to your…charm doesn’t give you the right to beat her up.”

“But you heard what she said, Shane,” the boy called Noah whined.

“Yeah, she’s funny. Get over yourself,” Shane retorted with a smirk. Both Noah and the other boy glared between their friend and Carrie before flipping both off and walking way.

“Sorry about those two, assholes, their brains stopped evolving when they were 7,” Shane joked. Carrie laughed along with him before leaning against the wall with him. She knew better then to trust a guy who was as sketchy as Shane, but she might as well enjoy the charm he gave off as she long as she could.

“Why do you hang out with them?” the girl wondered.

“They’re good lackeys. They listen to what I say, and I do whatever the fuck I want.”

“Seems like a good deal.”

“The best. Hey, I’m sorry they said that shit about your dad.”

“You’re a gay supporter?”

“People can do what they want. I support that.”

“Progressive for someone who lives in Derry.”

“My dad’s gay, so I kinda have to be.”

“Your dad’s gay? In Derry?”

“Yeah, he wants to leave, but his family was killed here and shit, so he stays here to remember them.”

“That’s sweet. But also, really fucking depressing.”

“That’s life, I guess.”

Carrie looked over at Shane and let out a flustered smile. She was getting attached which was really fucking bad, but Shane didn’t make it seem that way. He wasn’t actively a dick and was progressive enough to support gay rights which was the best anyone was ever going to be in Derry. Carrie let her stomach churn slightly before pulling a pen from her pocket.

“Give me your hand,” she demanded. Shane quirked an eyebrow but did what the girl said.

“What are you doing?”

“For some fucked up reason, I like you and I’m going to give you my number so you can text me. Don’t be a douche about this,” Carrie responded as she wrote her digits on the blonde-haired boy’s forearm.

“I wasn’t planning on it,” he smiled.

“Good. Listen, I have to go, but I expect you to text me. It was nice meeting you Shane…”

“Shane Bowers. It was nice meeting you as well, Carrie Tozier.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuck it's been a crazy couple of days. I recently got emancipated, and I'm moving out of my house and shit. Yike--so I may not update my fics as constant as I want because I'm working like 2 jobs just to pay rent. I love you all. Thanks for reading!


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